


droplets on the windows

by sauceewrites



Category: Splatoon
Genre: 3 am type beat, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, POV Third Person, and headphones is there for like 2 seconds at the end, goggles is sleepy, it's basically rider vents for once in his life: the movie, snuggles, specs and bobble are only mentions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:20:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25121539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sauceewrites/pseuds/sauceewrites
Summary: “I’m not really up early, the thunder kinda woke me up…” Goggles answered honestly. “Why are you awake?”and then rider panics and Accidentally Vents to goggles because its 3am and why not y'knowpointless gorai hurt/comfort... enjoy :>
Relationships: Goggles/Rider (Splatoon)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 68





	droplets on the windows

Underneath a thick layer of plush blankets, an adolescent inkling boy tossed and turned in his bed. It was clear that his fragile sleep was being disturbed by the aggressive weather conditions outside, sheets of rain and flashes of lightning pounding at the walls. Wearily, a blue eye cracked open, greeting the bearer with his dark ceiling.

Another flash from outside beamed into the room through his window, a loud crackle sounding moments later. Goggles’ eyelids snapped all the way open at the sound, he apprehensively scooted into a sitting position in his bed with his bare legs still covered by his sheets. Looking around, he glanced at the shadows the objects in his room created, and swallowed down the growing lump in his throat. 

When did it even start raining? Must've been sometime during the night...

He wasn't even scared of thunder anyway! Just… unsettled. Maybe startled. Yeah, that's it, startled. 

Now wide awake, Goggles slowly laid back down, attention fixated on the window near the foot of his bed. Choosing to ignore the thunder the best he could, he watched the raindrops excitedly drip down the glass, as if they were racing against one another. Focusing on these mundane thoughts, the blue colored squid hoped for the warm wave of sleep to wash over him once more. 

That, it did not. Every time his eyelids grew heavy, a boom of thunder would pull him right back out of an approaching dream.

After letting out a heaving sigh, Goggles flipped his blankets to the foot of his bed, exposing his pale skin to the night air. Only covered by an oversized t-shirt and biker shorts, goosebumps momentarily formed on his skin before dissipating. Swinging his feet to the edge, he stood up and lifted his arms above his head to stretch, trembling a bit and stifling a high sound that wanted to escape his lips. Removing his precious namesakes from his bedside table and slipping them around his neck as a sort of emotional security measure, he left his vibrant cerulean tentacles to dangle at his shoulders. There was no need to tie them up, he was just getting up for a drink of water and then right back to bed, right? Right.

Gently pushing open his already cracked door, Goggles peered out into the hallway. He didn't see any signs of life from his teammates at this hour, thankfully. The only thing he heard was quiet kitten-like snores coming from Bobble’s room; she slept soundly with the door wide open somehow, contrasting with Headphones’ cracked door and Specs’ closed one. 

Through the constant noise of rain on the roof, Goggles carefully listened for any differences in sound on his way to the kitchen. He tiptoed his way through the halls and past the bathroom. His bare feet made small padding noises on the hardwood floors of their team house. 

Arriving at the kitchen, he glanced around one final time before gingerly flipping the switch for the kitchen sink’s overhead light. Just as he had opened the top cabinet and reached for a glass, a crash of thunder announced itself, making him fumble the object. Hardly catching the cup before it hit the hard counter, Goggles let go of a gasp of breath he hadn't registered taking in.

Filling the glass, he placidly watched the water pass through the filter that was installed on every sink in Inkopolis, which let normal water become touchable to sea creatures. Taking a slow sip once it was mostly full, Goggles stared out the kitchen window as he leaned on the edge of the counter, observing what the open street looked like in the middle of a storm. 

It was so late at night, Goggles didn't feel like himself. He normally doesn't stay up this late, and when he does, it's with friends and fun. Waking up by yourself is a completely different feeling. It's lonely, melancholy, it almost feels wrong. Maybe it was even a little serendipitous to some, but the feeling of complete stillness in time was foreign to a person like Goggles. He didn't want to eat, or cause trouble, or do anything really. He only longed for a sleep he knew he wouldn't return to in a while, due to the storm.

“You’re up early.” A husky voice suddenly sounded from across the kitchen, tearing Goggles out of his thoughts and almost causing him to drop his cup a second time. 

The owner of the voice approached, appearing to be a silhouette of an inkling taller than Goggles. The blue squid grew tense, until lightning once again strobed from outside and highlighted the silhouette’s sharp features and piercing lime eyes. Then it all clicked back.

Rider was staying with the Blue Team for the night, as one of their practice sessions with him had run long, and news of an oncoming storm surfaced. Because Rider uses a motorcycle as his mode of transportation to and from the square, it was unsafe of him to bike the long distance from his home in the face of rain, as rain water is painful to inklings without sufficient cover (which his motorcycle did not provide.) Thus, the Blue Team, being themselves, didn't give Rider much of an option in the face of their hospitality. (And besides, although he would never admit it, Rider had grown fond of the cheerful team, no matter how idiotic they could act.)

“I’m not really up early, the thunder kinda woke me up…” Goggles answered honestly. “Why are you awake?”

Rider’s gaze softened a bit. “Same reason.” His tone turned in favor of teasingly, “But then I heard someone sneaking around, and I couldn't just let that go unchecked, could I?”

Goggles sheepishly looked down at the surface of his drink. “Did I wake you up? Sorry…”

Rider waved his hand nonchalantly, but had his normal, stony expression. “It's fine.” He then looked away from Goggles, expression unreadable. “I'm just not used to sleeping in a house with other people in it…”

“Wait,” Goggles furrowed his brows. “You and the rest of Yellow-Green team don't live together? Most teams in Inkopolis do? ...So why don't you guys?”

The dark skinned inkling chuckled softly, a small, dismal smile forming on his face. “You're forgetting that not all teams are bonded as tightly as your own, Goggles.”

Fear. The other three members of the Yellow-Green team had first joined him in fear and fear-based obedience. He had furiously searched the square after learning that he couldn't enter the CoroCoro Cup tournament solo. He had forced them to join him.

It was true that their team relationship had started out negative, but as he changed his ways after his first battle with Goggles, so did their opinion of him. But… even as things were improving, Rider had a feeling that the past would never let them become as close as most teams.

Goggles remembered this fact, and decided to take a gentle nudge to the untelling rock that was Rider’s thoughts.

“...Wanna talk about it?”

The lime inkling glanced at the digital numbers on the microwave across the kitchen. It read 3:07. His internal, secretive side was screaming at him to decline. But what is Goggles even going to do with this information? 

Most likely, absolutely nothing. So fuck it. It's 3 a.m, why not?

“Sure.”

Goggles perked up from where he was slouching against the countertop, and sat down at the table. Giving Rider a big smile, he patted the table area next to him, where a chair lay behind, unoccupied.

Rider heaved a burdened and slightly regretful sigh as he walked over to the other. Settling in, Goggles’ deep blue eyes studied him expectantly, but they weren't without a hint of worry.

Rider took a deep breath in and exhaled to calm his rampaging thoughts.

“I just…this probably sounds stupid to you, but... I don't know how to show that I care for my team.” He breathed in again. “I feel horrible for forcing them to join me earlier, at the CoroCoro cup. I would expect that they hate me…” His voice wavered only a hair. “but they haven't left me yet, either.”

“I teach them, I lead them, I’ve attempted to bond with them outside of turf, but it never… it never feels right. It never changes anything. I feel like they think it's something I do out of obligation, but…” he pauses momentarily. “... I really do care for them. And I want them to know that, but… I’m shit at communicating. I don't even know why they're choosing to still be part of the team, really, I’ve done nothing but inconvenience them and, and cause them pain...”

Rider suddenly buries his face in his hands. 

“I’m really just a shit leader, aren't I?” 

The muffled question is presented as rhetorical, but Goggles, bless his hearts, does not think so.

“You're not a bad leader.” The statement is said with such confidence and lack of hesitation that Rider immediately brings his head up to look Goggles in the eyes.

“Actually, your training is the only reason we were able to beat Skull from the S4! I know that it's not quite the same helping us as it is being with your own team, but it's the same type of stuff! You teach us, you lead us, and you're bonding with us technically outside of turf!” Goggles’ optimism would usually be off-putting, or at worst sickening to Rider, but right now, it's the thing he needs to hear most.

Softening his voice, Goggles adds “I think you're a really good leader. Maybe even the best in the square.” He smiles genuinely. “You've changed my life, Rider.”

All Rider can do is stare back at the blue inkling before him. This is the opposite of what that tiny, secretive voice inside his head was telling him to expect. He hardly notices the wetness gathering at the corners of his eyes amidst his shock.

“Rider? You okay?” 

There are a thousand things Rider would like to say but the words refuse to form sentences. He did not expect himself to open up to anyone anytime soon, let alone the childish squid before him. He also didn't expect such a comforting response from someone he had presumed to have a head full of cotton candy and pickled plums. The tiny, hissing voice in the back of Rider’s mind harshly scolds him for being so weak, and belittles his choice to show this weakness in front of a former rival, but it is silenced immediately by a filling feeling in his chest. A removal of a stone cold, heavy metaphorical burden, the emptiness in its’ leave immediately replaced by something lighter, sweeter.

Maybe this… Maybe it's okay… to be like this. To let people in… to be open...

Goggles, having gotten no response from the lime squid, is beginning to feel worried. Maybe he said the wrong thing? Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything and just listened? Did he interrupt?!

The blue inkling intensely studied Rider’s features in the dim light from the over-sink lamp to the left of them, and found thin wet lines decorating his dark face. The heavy tears were still continuing to roll down. Did he even notice he was crying? Goggles couldn't just let him cry! 

Whenever Goggles is sad, the rest of Blue Team always cheers him up with hugs and treats… The little cerulean squid didn't have any treats with him, so…

The feeling of being gently tugged to a semi-standing position, and arms wrapped around his upper torso brought Rider back to reality. He realized thick, inky tears were slipping down his cheeks, but for how long had they been slipping? He then realized that Goggles’ head was pressed against his chest, and that the other squid was hugging him.

“Here, a-at least let me…” Rider muttered downwards, sniffling, attempting to wriggle his arms free where they were pinned to his sides in Goggles’ embrace. The shorter loosened his grip for only a second, and the taller tentatively wrapped his now free arms around the other. Rider doesn't have very much experience in hugging, so awkwardly, he wasn't sure what to do next. But Goggles didn't shift or move, so neither did he.

They stayed like that for a while, Goggles occasionally rocking them a bit, next to the kitchen table in the faint lamp light. The rain and thunder outside faded into the background as the two solely focused on each other. The yellow-green tears were quick to stop, snuffed out by the shock of a sudden hug and a tremendous wave of relief. Relief that Rider had found someone to listen. Someone to trust. 

Goggles was that someone. And he was… okay with that? Yeah, he was. He couldn't even imagine it being anyone else, for some reason.

Gradually, Rider noticed Goggles’ grip on him slackening. Taking this as a cue, he stepped back to break the hug that felt as if it could've been hours long. And to this, the blue inkling gripped Rider’s red shirt tightly with his hands and let out a small whine.

“What..?” Rider looked down at Goggles, stiffly standing halfway out of the other’s hold.

Blearily, Goggles tilted his head upwards to meet Rider’s gaze. “‘M tired… Can we sleep here…” 

The taller stifled a small amused chuckle. “Goggles, we’re standing.”

“I ‘ont care…” The blue inkling’s head dropped down, and ended up resting on Rider’s chest again. “You're warm…”

Letting out a small, begrudgingly happy sigh, Rider threw his grumpy, don't-touch-me persona out the window for a moment. He moved lower to the ground, adjusted his grip on Goggles, and lifted the blue inkling up into his arms, an alarmed but sleepy hum escaping the one being lifted. Rider had little difficulty picking up the shorter inkling, said inkling’s head resting on his shoulder, arms weakly wrapped around his neck, and bare feet dangling.

Quietly padding in what he believes is the direction of Goggles’ room, Rider slowly lays the smaller inkling down into his blankets, and tugs the corner of one over Goggles’ legs. Just as he turns to walk back out to the living room futon he was previously sleeping on, an angry sounding hum emanates from behind him.

Rider turns back around to see the blue inkling sitting upright in his bed, eyes blearily cracked open to look at him, cheeks puffed out in an attempt to look stern. 

“What..?”

Goggles crosses his arms. “I was all warm, and sleepy, and now I’m not…” He mutters and wilts a bit. “...Why’d you leave…”

Rider turns all the way towards him and exhales through his nose, smiling amusedly. “Do you… want me to stay?”

“Mmmmhhhmmmmm…” Blue flops back down onto his bed, limbs splayed.

Lime sighs and studies the floor, having doubts. Suddenly, a crushing weight of weariness and exhaustion hits him, and laying down and sleeping anywhere sounds like heaven on Earth.

Plus, he owed Goggles a solid now, considering the other had listened to him ramble about his - feelings? - yuck - back there for quite a while, and helped him feel a bit better about something that had bugged him for quite a while. Rider doubts the blue squid actually knows how much his comforting words really meant to him, but that’s neither here nor there. 

Either way, he should repay the other… by sleeping in his bed with him? That’s not weird, is it? Well, if it’s what Goggles wants… Just two boys, sleeping in the same bed at almost 4 A.M, nothing weird. Right? This wouldn’t be any different from sleeping in a bed with Stealth, or Specs, right? Not that he was really that close to Specs, he was just thinking of a male example- Goggles and him were just two friends. Sleeping in a bed together. Totally not weird.

The yellow-green blush that creeped to Rider’s face as he silently overthought everything disagreed, but his speculating was interrupted by Goggles giving another, louder angry hum.

Snapped out of his thoughts, the inkling still standing glanced over to the sleepy, but annoyed squid looking back at him. Those puffed out cheeks were back.

His body screamed at him to rest. So fuck it. Again. 

Rider sighs. “Scoot over then. You’re taking up the entire bed.”

Making a happy little “woo!” sound, Goggles rolls closer to the edge of his full size bed, conscious enough to pick the side facing the wall so Rider can get in. Getting too tired to think straight, Rider shuffles over to the bedside and positively falls into bed, next to the blue inkling.

Now partially awake again at the prospect of the lime squid actually agreeing to lay next to him, Goggles rolls over to look at the other, and finds him stiffly laying on his back, staring blankly up at the ceiling. Blue also notices that Rider’s tentacles are still held up in the classic topknot, which, Goggles knows from experience, is wildly uncomfortable to sleep in.

Scooting closer to the taller inkling, Goggles finds that, for once, he doesn’t really wanna say anything. He just wants to act. Reaching out a tentative hand, his thin fingers grip Rider’s black hair tie, and he gives it a small tug.

Lime eyes broke out of whatever thought process their bearer was once again going through, shot over, and gave the other a quizzical look.

“You shouldn’t sleep with your tentacles up, Rider.” Goggles states, softly.

Lime says nothing, still focused on the other.

“Can I take out the hair tie for you?” Blue wasn’t originally planning on saying anything, but with how Rider usually would act (before tonight, anyways,) he wanted to be positive it was okay.

“Mmmm... Sure.”

Goggles smiles. Things certainly have changed since 24 hours ago, and probably for the better. Carefully, he pulls the hair tie from where it was previously tightly binding the two longest yellow-green tentacles together. Said tentacles, without proper support, immediately flop down and slap Rider in the face. The blue squid has to stifle a giggle, until he notices something. 

Rider was laughing too. Wait. Rider. Laughing?

It was such a nice sound, one that Goggles had never really heard before. Blue stops holding back and sleepily giggles with the other, flexing his hand to inch the hairtie down his wrist, next to where his own tri-colored hairtie rested. Blue then gently moved the tentacles out of lime’s face, and shifted one to each side, much like his own were situated at the moment, revealing Rider. Rider, smiling, with soft eyes. Rider, at the most vulnerable he’s been with anyone in a long while. The real Rider.

It felt good. So good. After so many nights of sleeping alone, so many nights of overthinking, so many crushing doubts and repressed feelings; it felt wonderful. Who would’ve guessed that a storm would change everything in one night?

What felt even better to the usually-stoic inkling, is when his bubbly counterpart moved even closer to him without being prompted to do so. Goggles stretched an arm across Rider’s chest, hand gripping the red fabric of his t-shirt, and pressed his cheek into his shoulder. All thoughts of “this is weird!” left the yellow-green inkling’s mind instantly as he crossed the line of being too tired and happy to care. Rider moved his free arm and head to reciprocate the blue squid’s motions, resting a hand on the other’s stomach and not even hesitating or thinking before pressing a small, gentle kiss to the top of Goggles’ head.

Luckily for Rider, the blue inkling’s eyes had fluttered shut mere seconds after he had snuggled closer, and was just awake enough to give a small, content sigh and nuzzle further into the other. Done with overthinking for the night, lime just held blue a bit tighter and let his own eyes blissfully shut.

Outside, the rain slowly ceased to make way for the dawn, the now-quiet thunder having stopped a few minutes prior. The storm had done it’s job.

\---approx. 8 A.M, four hours later,---

Yawning and stretching from in front of the open fridge, Headphones half-heartedly scanned it’s contents. Grabbing a pre-made cold coffee, she walked past the dining room and noticed a half-full cup of water at the kitchen table, as well as two chairs out of the four at the table being clearly pulled out. Was someone already up?

Suddenly, Phones remembered that they had a guest for the night. And she remembered why she woke up so early on a Saturday; it was because Rider had requested to be woken up at this time, and she had volunteered, as Rider’s phone was dead. He didn’t have anywhere pressing to be, he just “wanted to inconvenience your team as little as possible.” But, a request is a request, and she was already up.

Tiptoeing into the common room, she glanced around, not seeing Rider on the futon, or anywhere around the room at that. From behind her, she heard the sound of something shifting, and instinctively turned and looked, finding both Goggles’ and Bobble Hat’s bedroom doors wide open. Usually, Goggles’ door would be only cracked?

Upon further inspection, Phones couldn’t help herself, and had to stifle a small giggle and an “awwww” at the sight on the bed. Rider, the tall, menacing S+ ranker, was dead asleep and currently being a “little spoon,” to a much smaller Goggles, who, while also dead sleep, was bear hugging the taller from behind. Blankets and pillows were strewn everywhere, and the two boys were occasionally letting out content little coos and sighs as they slept, clung to one another.

The sniper of the Blue Team didn’t have the heart to disturb them, even as she denied herself the urge to take out her phone and snap a few pictures of them for later. Sighing, she smiled a bit and turned to go back to her room for more sleep, cracking their door on her way out.

**Author's Note:**

> this was the first fic i've posted anywhere in a while. mega pog
> 
> hope u liked it :'>


End file.
